New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-10
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LILLE R4KED Ii III.


Interstate bill illustrates one of them. 1t is
now question whether the chief objects Of
that measure were not defeated by the con-
tempt for practical knowledge displayed by It's
friends in the House. In other countries
changes desired by public opinion come slowly,
but they come to stay. Reforms are hindercd
long. but gain strength, precision and practl-
cal knowledge by the discipline of many strug
giles so that. when legislation is reached at
last. it has the benefit in its shaping OF the
hest legislative and industrial experience.
But here public opinion is wont to be obcyed
more quickly Few members Of Congress dare
TO resist popular desire. whether for real
reform or for something else. Criticism OF
details and attempted correction of faults are
sure to lie represented by demagogues as the
fruits of hostility to the measure itself. Men
more ambitious than prudent thrust crude
bills to the 'front.' silence wise counscls by
charges of hostility to the popular will, and
luly doubling or conscientious members by
threats of public disapproval. Thus many
measure gets passed which brings disgrace
upon those who favor it, and not rarely an inn
portant reform is set back long time by the
crude folly of measure passed in the fear OF
public ccnsure.
There arc about thousand transporting
companies in this country. One of them, not
by any means the largest. the Michigan Gen.
tral. issues about 1000 documents in year,
and the law requires copies of all such docu-
ments to lie sent TO the commission by all the
companies Here is railway freight tariff,
book of 40 closely printed pages yet it is by
no means the largest of its kind. Who is go
ing to read all these documents. or TO lille
them. or where are they TO be stored I In a
month the commission will have several hun
drcd thousand papers on hand which no men,
her can find when they are wanted. In year
it will need for the storage of it's records
building which it would take Government ar
chitects years to build and if this thing goes
on until Judge Cooley's term of six years has
expired, an army with picks and shovcs will
have TO go to Washington and dig out The COM
mission from the avalanche Of useless papers,
az the ruins Of Pompcii are disntcrrcd from
the lava and ashes.
But this commission Of five men is expected
to know all the rules and rates
Of all the companies throughout the
country, and what is infinitely worse. the
reasons for them all, that it may decide Tbcth.
or to infOrcc or 10 suspend the law with re-
spect to each. As if that were not enough,
this hcrculean labor is expected to lie perform
ed again and again, every month or week as
circumstances change, for that most extraor-
binary fourth section reads. The commission
may from time to time prescribe the extent TO
which such designated common carriers may
be relieved from the operation OF this section
of this act" Dimly the lawmakers saw that
this act. dealing with complicated machinery
of which they knew little, might ruin some
BODY or expose great industries to harm. In
their ignorance they fancied that i've men
could know all about it's workings. every week
and month, in every town, and so they empow-
cred the commission to make the law operative
lust as much or as little as in its supcrhuman
wisdom it might choose.
The net result is an act which will have to
be set aside continually, and will nevertheless
do infinite mischief through the clear inca
pacity of any commission on earth TO keep
pace with daily changes in the facts Of COM
merce. Nobody can guess what rates Will be
from week to week, because nobody can guess
what day the groaning and half-bured com
mission will get hold of complaint with all
dayits from this or that company. The mer
chants of Western cities cannot agree whether
the act will increase sales by them or by New
York merchants, but one thing they all now
know. that the cost of transportation Is In
creased to the consumers. Coal already costs
more in the ranges and the furnaces bread
and meat will cost more on the table clothing
will cost moro to the wcarcr. So much is
certain the rest is yet chaos.